PBKS clash with DC as battle for top-two finish heats up

Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals: A Rematch for Top-Two Finish

The last time Punjab Kings clashed with Delhi Capitals, the game ended in an unprecedented manner due to unforeseen circumstances. Shreyas Iyer's men were in pole position to put up a monstrous total that could have guaranteed them two points. However, the good news for PBKS is that those points weren't shared and they have a rematch to claim it.

PBKS' Momentum and DC's Inconsistency

A lot has changed since that fixture on May 8. The Capitals were a playoffs contender at that point but have now been eliminated after their loss to Mumbai Indians. With all the playoffs spots sealed, the question that remains is around which teams will lock the coveted top-two spots. On form and the brand of cricket that they have played, PBKS will feel that they deserve to be one of those teams.

DC's Pressure and PBKS' Batting Approach

However, that is for later as the Kings would need to tick the first box, which is to get past a DC side that might feel liberated from the pressures of contesting for a playoffs berth. PBKS' batting approach and the depth that they have in power-hitting is unmatched this season and it will once again be their USP in this clash.

Key Players to Watch

• Harpreet Brar: The left-arm spinner has been excellent against left-handed batters, picking four wickets in 30 balls with an average of 11 and a dot-ball percentage of 40%.
• Kuldeep Yadav: The key to DC's success in the IPL, averaging 19.36 at a strike-rate of 16.5 across all his wins.
• Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir: The duo's insane finish against DC's bowlers on an unusually tricky Wankhede surface will be a challenge for DC's bowlers.

Probable XIs

• Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis(wk), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar/Vijaykumar Vysakh, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
• Delhi Capitals: KL Rahul, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel (c)/Madhav Tiwari, Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Kumar.